ABOUT US
Who We Are
The Change Gym® is a change-readiness and change-management consulting firm with a strong training emphasis. We partner with organisations to embed readiness, implement change effectively, and build the long-term capacity to adapt and thrive.
Our proprietary frameworks — including Readiness Pathways and diagnostic tools — go beyond short-term fixes. We equip leaders and teams with the mindset, skills, and strategies to strengthen resilience, foster adaptability, and create cultures where change is not just managed, but embraced as a source of growth.
Our Philosophy
At The Change Gym, we believe progress is not about certainty but about learning through challenge. Inspired by Popper’s fallibilism and Deutsch’s optimism, we design Readiness Pathways that turn hesitation into capability. Our tools don’t just deliver information — they build explanatory insight, collective resilience, and psychological safety. We see every organisation as a living system with infinite potential, and our mission is to unlock that potential by equipping people to adapt, grow, and thrive together.
How We Work
Our approach is practical, evidence-based, and proven in high-stakes environments. We help organisations:
- Diagnose readiness with proprietary tools that reveal strengths, gaps, and hidden risks
- Align leadership around shared priorities and decision-making logic
- Build adaptive capacity through scenario-based programs that embed capability into daily practice
- Sustain momentum so change endures long after the project ends
What Makes Us Unique
Our work is powered by the Adaptive Intelligence Cycle — a licensable framework that integrates diagnostics, strategic alignment, and capability building into a single, coherent process. Field-tested in healthcare redesign and across remote, culturally diverse communities, it equips organisations to embed change-readiness, strengthen resilience, and build adaptive capacity that endures.
Senior Team Leaders
Steve Barlow, PhD, FIML, CMI, is the founder and principal of The Change Gym®, based on the Gold Coast, Queensland. A recognised authority on change readiness, change fitness, and change management, Steve has worked across sectors to help organisations embed resilience and adaptive capacity.
Before entering consulting, Steve taught conflict resolution and anger management to maximum-security prisoners and led postgraduate courses in ‘Leading and Managing Change.’ He has authored or co‑authored seven books on organisational change and created the Activation Pathway programs delivered through The Change Gym®.
With degrees from the Australian Catholic University, Macquarie University, and the University of Sydney, Steve received the Outstanding Thesis Award for his doctoral dissertation on change readiness. His work continues to bridge academic rigour with practical frameworks that equip organisations to thrive in complexity.
Peter Newman is the Managing Director of the Applied Innovation Centre, based in Perth, WA. A recognised authority in innovation and creativity, he has helped organisations across sectors achieve their goals through team building and culture transformation.
Peter has developed proprietary intellectual property in innovation, providing a holistic framework for embedding innovative processes and culture within organisations. He and Steve Barlow have collaborated on projects that combine innovation expertise with change-readiness frameworks, delivering unique value and lasting impact for clients.